CJP seeks report on human rights’ appeals from Punjab PPO

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Abdul Hameed Dogar on Tuesday took suo motu notices on two appeals

The CJP directed the Punjab provincial police officer (PPO) to submit a report on an alleged murder by the police and filing of baseless cases against an appellant by the office bearers of Pakistan International Human Rights Organisation (PIHRO) in the Supreme Court on January 27.

The first suo motu notice was taken on the appeal of Baboo Khan, resident of district Narowal. The CJP directed the Punjab PPO to direct the Narowal district police officer (DPO) to appear before the court along with the inquiry report on the said date.

The applicant stated his two sons – Muhammad Nawaz and Muhammad Farooq – were murdered in an alleged police encounter at the behest of Sabir Hussain.

He said the bodies were later hanged at a public crossing. The applicant said Hussain tried to capture a piece of land belonging to a villager, Mazhar, but lodged an FIR with the help of Inspector Ihsanullah Shahid against Mazhar and his two sons when he could not succeed. He said the police tortured the three men, insisting they vacate the land. When they refused, Hussain planned to murder them. He said a police party, consisting of Malik Muhammad Hussain, Akram, Dilawar Qamar, Ilim Din and Rana Azam, raided their house and torched it. In the second suo motu notice taken on the appeal of Muhammad Jamil, resident of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Rahimyar Khan, the CJP directed the Punjab PPO to submit a detailed report into the matter through Bahawalpur regional police officer on January 27.

The CJP also directed the PIHRO chairman to submit a report into the matter on the same day.

In his appeal, Jamil stated that his brother, Muhammad Khalil, died of Hepatitis-C. He said some office bearers of PIHRO – Shahzad Ahmad, Muhammad Mazhar, Muhammad Rafique and Ghulam Hussain – filed baseless cases against him and his family to take over the property of Khalil.